Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 9, 1891
Mr. Egan to Mr. Blaine.
Santiago, June 27, 1891. (Received August 12.)
Sir: I have the honor to inclose copy of a letter which has reached me from Rear-Admiral McCann, together with copy of a communication, therein referred to, from Don Isidoro Errazuriz as representative of the Junta or executive of the opposition party. I also inclose copy of my reply of this date addressed to Admiral McCann, from which, as well as from my letter of the 2d instant (inclosure No. 3 in No. 172), it will be seen that in supposing that I had requested him to address a note, or to formally tender good offices, to the revolutionary Junta the admiral was under a misapprehension.
The copy of the letter of Don Isidoro Errazuriz has been extensively circulated through the revolutionary channels, but I have already taken effective steps to counteract any injury that might result from this incident.
In the present temper of the parties any attempt at mediation would be fruitless.
I have, etc.,
Rear-Admiral McCann to Mr. Egan.
Dear Sir: I have much pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your communications dated respectively May 9, 12, and June 2.
As requested in your letter of the 2d instant, I addressed a note to Señor Errazuriz to endeavor to obtain from the Junta some definite propositions that might serve as a basis for reopening peace negotiations between the Chilean Government and the insurgents.
This request was at once complied with; and on the 10th instant I received a reply in the form of a declaration, a translation of which is herewith inclosed, with a request that the declaration be transmitted to the Department of State at Washington, in reply to its friendly question as to the means of terminating the present conflict.
I have to regret that in my note to Señor Errazuriz I incautiously quoted too freely from your letter of the 2d instant, especially that line in which you express the opinion that “the Government at Santiago can not be disturbed.”
The consequence of this inadvertence on my part (being unaccustomed to diplomatic fencing) will be seen in the declaration of Señor Errazuriz.
I did not quote, however, that part of your letter referring to the relative military strength of the two parties, and simply offered to be the channel through which they might transmit a reply either to yourself or to the Government at Washington.
There is but little change in the situation of affairs here. The Amazonas came in a few days since with 2,400 troops from the south, Copiapo and Caldera, I believe, apparently concentrating their forces at Iquique. The torpedo cruisers, as you have probably heard, have been demonstrating about their ports, which continual harrying of the garrisons and ships exasperates the insurgents to the last degree.
The Itata, Convoyed by the Charleston, sails to-morrow night for San Diego. The loss of the vessel and the arms at this time has excited a bitter animosity against us.
With kindest regards, etc.,
Rear-Admiral, U. S. Navy.
Rear-Admiral McCann to Señor Errazuriz.
Iquique, June 8, 1891.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that under date of the 2d instant the Hon. Patrick Egan, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States to Chile, has authorized me to offer to the authorities of the opposition the friendly offices of the United States Government and at the same time most cordially his own services in renewing negotiations with a view to a restoration of peace in Chile.
Mr. Egan states that on the date above referred to he had received a telegram from the Department of State instructing him in the name of the President to ascertain discreetly and informally whether there is any way in which the friendly offices of our Government can be used for the termination of the conflict now raging in Chile, which suggestion is made in an entirely disinterested manner and prompted solely by a desire to restore peace.
Mr. Egan further states that on the 2d instant “he had a conference with the President of Chile, in which he manifested a very good spirit and a strong desire for peace, based, of course, upon legitimate principles.
“The late negotiations for peace were broken off because the delegates of the opposition would not consent that their basis of peace should be made known to the Government until the latter had first given, in writing to us, or ministers, its conditions, which the Government would not do.
“The President assured me that his Government will consider in a kindly spirit any propositions which may be submitted by the opposition, and that there is no medium through which he would be so much pleased to receive propositions as through your good self and through the United States legation at Santiago.
“I believe that the only chance of effecting an arrangement is by negotiating directly with the leaders in the north, and I would suggest to you to endeavor to obtain from them some definite propositions which may serve as a basis for negotiations.
[Page 142]“Your idea of a truce would not, I fear, be entertained. I suggested the matter to-day, but it was not favorably received.
“It seems to me that the Government can not be disturbed, and a continuance of the present state of things must be ruinous for every interest of Chile. It is, therefore, a duty in the interest of humanity to do all that is possible to restore peace, and to save the country from further bloodshed and ruin.
“You can assure the gentlemen of the opposition in the north that my best and most cordial efforts will be freely and fully at their disposal for the attainment of these ends.”
In conclusion I beg to assure you that if I can be of any assistance in communicating your decision relating to the above propositions either to the Hon. Mr. Egan or to the Government of the United States, I shall be most happy to comply with your wishes.
I have, etc.,
Rear-Admiral, U. S. Navy, Commanding U. S. Naval Force, South Atlantic and South Pacific Stations.
Señor Errazuriz to Rear-Admiral McCann.
Iquique, June 10, 1891.
Admiral: I have had the honor to receive your letter of the 8th, in which you inform me that on the 2d of this month the Hon. Patrick Egan, minister plenipotentiary of the United States in Santiago, authorized you to offer to the authorities of the opposition the good offices of the Government of the United States, and at the same time very cordially your own services were offered for the purpose of renewing negotiations for the reestablishment of peace in Chile.
You add that Mr. Egan informed you on the same date already mentioned that he received from the Department of State a telegram in which he was charged in the name of the President to try to find out if there is any way in which the good offices of the Government of the United States could be employed to put an end to the conflict which is destroying Chile, a friendly intervention made in a disinterested manner, in obedience exclusively to the desire to reestablish peace.
Mr. Egan also informed you that on the 2d day of this month he had a conference with the President of Chile, in which the latter showed a favorable disposition and a lively desire to secure peace, based of course on legitimate principles.
The last negotiation was interrupted because the delegates of the opposition refused to permit their demands to be communicated to the Government before the latter would impart its own demands to the mediators, something which the Government did not wish to do.
The President assured the Hon. Mr. Egan that he would consider in a benevolent spirit any proposition whatever that would be submitted to him by the opposition, and that nothing would please him so much as to receive these propositions through you or the United States legation in Santiago.
The Hon. Mr. Egan believes that the only way to reach an arrangement is to negotiate directly with the leaders in the north, and suggests to you to try to obtain from them some concrete proposition which could serve as a basis for negotiations.
In regard to the idea of a truce which was favored by you, Mr. Egan thinks that there is no probability of its being accepted. In the conference which was held in the Government House he referred to the matter and it was not favorably received.
The Hon. Mr. Egan believes finally that the Government can not be overthrown, and that, as the continuation of the present state of things is ruinous to the country, it is a humane duty to put an end to the spilling of blood. He concludes by authorizing you to inform the gentlemen of the opposition that they can count on his best and sincerest efforts to reach this end.
Finally, you have the goodness to assure the undersigned that you will take pleasure in informing the Hon. Mr. Egan or the Government of the United States of any decision whatever of the governing council (Junta de Gobierno) relative to the proposition already mentioned.
I am charged by the provisional council of government to say to you, in reply, that they deplore the rejection in Santiago of the proposition for an armistice which was favored, disinterestedly, by you and submitted to the approbation of the President of the United States.
The undersigned had the honor to declare to you, as soon as you proposed it, that the governing council esteemed the spirit of equity and benevolence which inspired the said proposal, and that they considered it well calculated to mitigate the evils [Page 143] from which the country suffers and to facilitate the pacificatory action of friendly states.
As to the new proposal which the Hon. Mr. Egan, minister of the United States, now makes through your estimable mediation to the members of this government, to the effect that the negotiations for peace may be renewed, in the sense that those who obey the authority of Congress shall present propositions which shall be submitted to the examination and discussion of Mr. Balmaceda, who has promised to consider them in a benevolent spirit, a proposal inspired, it appears, by the opinion that the Hon. Mr. Egan has formed in Santiago, that the Government can not be overthrown, you will pardon the undersigned if he excuses himself from discussing it at the present moment.
You are aware also that on the part of the governing council there never was any embarrassment or difficulty in opening proper and just negotiations for peace, as was proved when they made haste to respond to the call made on them with this object, in May last, by the honorable ministers of Great Britain and Germany, through the worthy mediation of Admiral Hotham.
Neither is the fact unknown to you that a few days ago, under the auspices of the representatives of the United States, France, and Brazil, conferences for peace were arranged on the distinct basis which the Hon. Mr. Egan favors to-day, and that this benevolent attempt failed unexpectedly and without reason, just as the later proposition for a truce failed—from no fault whatever of the negotiators or coadjutors of the constitutional government.
In general the undersigned takes pleasure in declaring that his government will always listen with interest and courtesy to any pacific proposition emanating directly or indirectly from the Government of Mr. Balmaceda, and that there will be no obstacle to the attainment of those noble efforts of friendly nations for peace while that which this council considers as “legitimate principles” are carefully guarded.
These are the integrity of the constitutional system of Chile and the repudiation of every act and every condition based on the violation of the laws which the country has learned to obey and venerate in more than seventy years of operation. The council would be very much gratified if this declaration, in reply to the friendly request for an opinion of the means necessary to terminate the present conflict, were transmitted to the Department of State in Washington.
It is a satisfaction to me, with this object in view, to reiterate to you the expression of my highest and most distinguished consideration.
Mr. Egan to Rear-Admiral McCann.
Santiago, June 27, 1891.
My Dear Sir: I have the pleasure to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 12th instant, with the inclosed copy of a communication from Don Isidoro Errazuriz, in reply to your note of 10th instant addressed to him.
I am sorry you wrote at all to Mr. Errazuriz, as those matters are always better treated verbally, and you will remember that in the telegram from the State Department, to which I referred in my letter of 2d instant, it was stated, as the desire of the President, that the endeavors to ascertain if the good offices of our Government could be used should be made “discreetly and unofficially.”
The copy of the letter of Mr. Errazuriz had been sent to the chiefs of the opposition party here several days before I received it from you, and the contents, in an exaggerated form, are now freely circulated through the various opposition channels, to our detriment.
From the temper of the parties, it seems to me to be entirely impossible to do anything towards the restoration of peace at the present time, and it would therefore be useless to refer to the question of an armistice.
I have never stated to the Government here that I had received any intimation from any source on the question of an armistice, but simply suggested the idea in a casual way as coming from myself, which course meets the approbation of the representatives of the opposition here.
I remain, etc.,